The present invention comprises a new Pelargonium, botanically known as Pelargonium hortorum, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘Amri Wits09.’
‘Amri Wits09’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar ‘Amri Wits09’ has clean white flowers with a bold red-purple blotch, light to medium green foliage, round and semi-compact habit, with good branching and garden performance.
‘Amri Wits09’ originated from a hybridization in a controlled breeding program in Gilroy, Calif. USA. The female parent was an unpatented hybrid seedling identified as ‘9109-2’ with light pink with a blotch flower color. ‘9109-2’ has a smaller blotch size, more pinkish flower color, and is a less vigorous plant than ‘Amri Wits09.’
The male parent of ‘Amri Wits09’ was an unpatented hybrid seedling identified as ‘9754-1,’ a pink with splash color. ‘9754-1’ has a more pinkish flower color, lighter green foliage, and is later to flower than ‘Amri Wits09.’
‘Amri Wits09’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in 2004 in a controlled environment in Gilroy, Calif. USA.
The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Amri Wits09’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in the November 2004 in a controlled environment in Gilroy, Calif. USA.
Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in November, 2004 in Gilroy, Calif. USA, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘Amri Wits09’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.
‘Amri Wits09’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.
Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar were applied for in Canada on Dec. 24, 2007 and in Europe on Jun. 20, 2008. ‘Amri Wits09’ has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to the filing of this application.